The primary goal of this site is to provide mature, meaningful discussion about the Vancouver Canucks. However, we all need a break some time so this forum is basically for anything off-topic, off the wall, or to just get something off your chest! This forum is named after poster Creeper, who passed away in July of 2011 and was a long time member of the Canucks message board community.

The NFL has gone out of its way in recent years to protect its players from injury, but commissioner Roger Goodell took that message to a new level Wednesday. The league dropped the hammer on the New Orleans Saints and former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (now with the Rams) for their participation in a bounty program, which handed out cash rewards for injuring opposing players and making big plays.

Saints head coach Sean Payton has been suspended without pay for the entire 2012 season, general manager Mickey Loomis earned an eight-game suspension and assistant coach Joe Vitt was suspended for the first six games of the season. New Orleans also has to pay a $500,000 fine and will forfeit its second-round draft picks in 2012 and ’13.

Williams, meanwhile, has been suspended indefinitely, and Goodell will reevaluate his standing at the end of the 2012 season.

Williams’ suspension begins immediately, while Payton’s kicks in on April 1 and Loomis’ after the final preseason game.

In short, this is a massive punishment across the board — one that could include more names if the NFL subsequently punishes any of the 20-plus players involved in “Bountygate.”

As a life long Saints fan who has suffered through shittier teams than even the Canucks have put together.....*sigh*.

What a mess. We go from being Super Bowl favourites last season and barely missing out on another Super Bowl appearance to a fucking shit show this season. 2012 is basically a write off now. I thought we could withstand even a 10 game suspension to Payton and still make the playoffs, but the team might as well pack up shop. Fuck.

I think this punishment is beyond severe btw. I mean Payton is basically being fined $8M on top of losing out on another shot at a Super Bowl ring. That hoddie wearing fatso in Boston got caught cheating and the punishment wasn't anywhere near as severe as this.

I know, I know WTF was the Saints' coaching staff thinking, right? I agree, having a full on bounty program is beyond stupid, but I played football growing up in the south and I can tell you there were plenty of rewards for big, punishing hits even in elementary school.

herb wrote:
I know, I know WTF was the Saints' coaching staff thinking, right? I agree, having a full on bounty program is beyond stupid, but I played football growing up in the south and I can tell you there were plenty of rewards for big, punishing hits even in elementary school.

Bummer for the Saints big time.

How does Brees feel right about now?

No question this is prevalent, the Saints just got caught.

Golic (Mike and Mike) talks about his Eagles under Buddy Ryan offering up similar rewards in the "90's.

Romanowski talks about how it felt better taking $500.00 off of Ronnie Lott in cash, for a knockout blow, than looking at a bank statement with his pay on it.

Probably like shit just like the rest of the organization. But, Brees is a genuinely loyal guy. Nobody else gave him a shot when he was a FA after his shoulder injury. Brees and Payton are perfect together, and the Big Easy LOVES Drew.

Losing Brees would be like the Gretzky trade, and I just don't see it happening. Brees = sellouts and playoff berths for NO, which is everything for a small market NFL team. I remember going to games in the 90's for cheap and the Dome was maybe 70% full. Now you have to fork over $200 to get into the building.

The Saints really need to put up AND shut up now. Give Brees his contract and have at least some stability going forward, because it's not looking like 2012 is going to be a championship year. Brees has indicated that he does not want to play under the franchise tag and wants a long term deal. Get it done Loomis!

donlever wrote:
But herb, dude, at least you saw a Super Bowl win!!!

Yup! After years of misery, it finally happened.

If the 'Aints' can win one championsip, the Canucks should be able to win 10. The Canucks team history looks like the Montreal Canadiens when you compare it to NO.

I can't believe you're a Cowboys fan...for a guy who HATES the Leafs, it's hard to believe that you love the NFL version of "Canada's team".

Hey, I can't argue with anything you say about the current incarnation of the team.

Not a big Romo guy and I loathe Jerry Jones and what he has done to the team since he thought it was he, and not Jimmy Johnson, responsible for the Super Bowls (LOFL @ that)....

But I've ben a fan since the mid '70's and I can't just turn a switch off and on. My first game was a Boys loss to the Steelers in the Super Bowl. I admired the hell out of Roger Staubach and Drew Pearson in that game and have been a fan since.

I'm getting a good chuckle out of the all the Peyton Manning fans coming out of the woodwork saying that Denver is guaranteed at least one championship now. Winning a championship is hard enough when you're young, healthy and on a great team and even then the stars have to align a fair bit in order to pull off a championship.

The Broncos aren't a great team, and Manning isn't young or healthy. Manning will be 36 at the start of the 2012 season, is coming off of FOUR neck surgeries and hasn't played a game in over a year. Excelling at the QB position after 35 is not unheard of, but it's pretty rare. I guess we'll see.